The Blood of Dragons
by Hana-chan
Summary: It began with the distruction of a Dragon Clan village, but it won't stop there. Can anyone stand against this evil mage in his quest to gain the ultimate power? Yaoi, 1x2, 3x4, 5x6
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: The Blood of Dragons 1 / ?  
AUTHOR: Hana-chan gohana_chan@hotmail.com  
CATEGORY: AU, fantasy, angst, yaoi, occasional lemon  
PAIRINGS: Eventual 1x2, 3x4, 6x5  
RATINGS: Varies. PG-13 for this chapter.  
WARNINGS: Some violence.  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters from that show. This is for fun, not profit so don't sue me. Any characters that are not from Gundam Wing belong to me.  
FEEDBACK: PLEASE! Any and all comments are welcome - I won't get tired of reading them, honest. It helps me to finish my fics if you tell me what you think.  
  
~emphasis~ :: telepathy ::+++ scene change  
  
The Blood of Dragons  
Chapter 1  
  
Commander Zechs Merquise of the Osarian light cavalry stood beside his mount in the underbrush of the mountain forest, predawn light staining his armor red and black. His unit stirred restlessly behind him, the chink and scrape of metal sounding softly as both men and horses shifted position in the chill morning air. Sighing imperceptibly, Zechs wondered why exactly they were here. Both he and his men knew the orders - to secure a stolen shipment of Crystals using whatever force necessary to subdue the Raiders responsible. The orders themselves didn't bother the young commander, he'd taken out Raiders before; what concerned him was the fact that they'd had to come through the Pass of Morning and onto the Eastern side of the Dragonback Mountains to do so. They were now not only in Chiinaran Territory, but in Dragon country as well, and neither group took kindly to strangers - especially armed ones.   
  
He was uncomfortable with the entire situation, but unfortunately Shehrevar was here as head mage, so they had little choice but to follow without question. While he himself didn't particularly care much for mages, Shehrevar was not one to cross - especially as he was supported by Aldric the High Wizard of Roma. People might be willing to disregard the word of a mage, but no sane person disregarded the word of a wizard. This fact insured that if Aldric wanted these Crystals, despite being in Chiinaran territory, despite being in Dragon country, he would he get them with no argument from Zechs. Protesting technicalities such as jurisdiction was not worth the risk of coming to either Shehrevar's or Aldric's unwelcome attention.  
  
Platinum brows drawn together in thought, the commander glanced back down the road, eyes pausing on the unmounted group that waited a bit further up the mountain. The leader had mid-length blond hair, and wore dragon-scale armor, easily identified by the tell-tale blueish-purple hue. From the edge of his sword belt hung over forty talon tips, each about three inches long, a trophy from each of his kills. In his hand was a six-foot spear topped with a large, vicious blade with serrated barbs arching away from the point. Zechs suppressed a shudder as he looked at the weapon. It had been created with one purpose in mind - killing dragons. The blade was designed to penetrate scales and skin, the barbs ensuring that it either lodged within the beast or did massive damage when pulled out. Needless to say, a dragon with a few of those in it didn't survive long.   
  
The blond man turned towards his men for a moment, and Zechs spied the crossbow strapped across his back. Again he was forced not to react to the Slayer's weapon. The bolts for that type of bow were just as cruel as the spear, and almost as deadly. Zechs personally hated the weapons of the Slayers as much or more than the Slayers themselves, but on a mission into Dragon territory, he had no choice but to accept them, especially when they were there at Shehrevar's request.   
  
Still regarding the Slayer captain, Zechs was caught off guard as the man turned back and held his gaze. Cold blue eyes bore into his and the commander forced himself to nod politely before turning to look back down the road. He noticed that his men were impatient to start, as, he admitted, was he. The sooner they took out the raiders, the sooner they'd be back in Osarian territory.  
  
The signal came, and Zechs led his unit forward into the raider camp.  
+++  
  
High on a mountain ledge, the dragon watched in appreciation as the dawn light slowly bled into the fading indigo of the sky. His jade scales flashed redly, the light breeze stirring the rust colored hair of his mane, legs and tail. He stretched, serpentine body arching gracefully, wings fully extended, before settling into a more comfortable position on the outcropping.  
  
:: How are the little ones, love? :: he called out telepathically. The mental growl that followed caused his orange-red eyes to light up with suppressed mirth. :: What, not enjoying your stint in the hatchery? ::  
  
The mental grumble turned into a string of good-natured curses. :: Why can't they hatch as yearlings? :: complained the slightly higher mental voice. :: Our Yuming is finally getting to a manageable age. Teaching them to fight or fly I can handle, watching them hatch, and feeding them. . . Others are better suited to it than me. ::  
  
:: Like me, you mean, :: he replied with a draconic smirk.  
  
:: No, not like you, :: was her tart reply. :: You may be my mate, but you are on much better terms with the Memory Crystals than you are with the hatchlings. ::  
  
The dragon laughed with his mate. :: I know, but it is our turn to watch the hatchery, while the others take a much needed rest in the village. ::  
  
:: I know, I know - I'm just griping. :: she said. :: I look forward to the day we can take Yuming home to stay. He's almost got the change down pat you know, :: was her proud declaration. :: All he needs to master is the hair and eye color - he features look just like yours when changed. ::  
  
The male dragon's chest puffed out with pride. :: And only a year old. He's going to be a very powerful fellow. Last night he Crystalized a shard. It was so small that it would barely contain a minor spell, but . . . ::  
  
:: Just don't forget about his battle training, :: she threatened.  
  
:: I managed both, and so shall he, :: assured the male. :: He has us for parents after all. ::  
  
:: Well, I'm sure that the sun has risen by now, so why don't you come back here so I can stretch my wings? ::  
  
The male dragon grinned and launched himself into the air. He felt the thermals caresses his body, lifting him high above the forest before allowing him to dip again and skim the tops of the evergreens. The beauty of the dawn and the land around made him grateful that their territory lay on the edges of the Chiinaran lands rather than to the west where he heard that his draconic cousins had been hunted nearly to extinction. He never truly understood humans with their hateful ways, though he had walked among them in human guise on occasion. Their tendency to make life much more complicated than necessary with their politics and their wars, as well as their capacity to hate boggled the mind.  
  
Looking down the mountainside, he tried to spot the village. He could see the smoke from their chimneys spiraling into the red dawn. His kind had long ago found that the way to keep from the notice of humans was to masquerade as them and live in villages somewhat removed from the hatchery and lairs. Hiding in plain sight had saved many a life in his clan.  
  
The wind shifted slightly, and the dragon caught the altered scent. The sweet scent of wood smoke was altering to a more pungent smell. Eyes widening, he saw the plumes blacken ominously.   
  
:: INVADERS! :: The mental shout slammed into the dragon's mind. :: Protect the hatchery at all costs! ::  
  
The enraged roar of his mate snapped the dragon's head away from the village and toward the cave-like entrance to the hatchery. Folding his wings, he dove, pulling up sharply to land before her.  
  
:: Watch the hatchery, :: she demanded.   
  
:: You can't go, :: he countered her, trying to stay calm as he heard the frightened cries of his people.  
  
:: I'm not a coward, :: she exclaimed. :: I'm not going to let those bastards slaughter our people.::  
  
:: The young are our responsibility, our priority, :: he shouted back.  
  
:: You guard them then. I'm not going to sit here and let everyone die. ::  
  
:: The elder ordered us here. ::  
  
:: The elder will be dead if we don't help. :: With that declaration she launched herself into the sky, arrowing towards the black smudge above the trees that marked the location of the village.  
  
:: Curses, :: he shouted to himself, divided as to his responsibilities. He had to protect the hatchery, yet he should be by his mate's side as well.  
  
:: Why do you linger, young one? :: asked an old dragon emerging from the entrance.  
  
:: I must protect the young ones, :: replied the other, still looking in the direction of his mate.  
  
:: You're place is with your mate, :: he corrected. :: If she dies, you will too. My child is headstrong - she needs you with her. I will guard the hatchery. ::  
  
Hesitating only a moment, the younger dragon nodded briefly and leapt into the air to follow his mate.  
  
+++  
  
Zechs felt ill.   
  
It was no Raider camp that they were invading but a Dragon Clan village. The humans who believed that it was better to live in peace with dragons than to war with them were few and far between, and his unit was slaughtering them.  
  
Shehrevar the bastard had known. The Slayers had been brought not on the off chance that they might encounter a dragon, but on the sure fact that they would. And now his men were slaughtering everyone and they dare not stop because the mage would execute any who disobeyed him, and the villagers would die regardless. The commander found himself mentally cursing all mages and wizards alike for sending him and his men on such a dishonorable, despicable mission as this.  
  
Knowing that he himself had to continue fighting, or forfeit the lives of his unit, Zechs sought out the warriors of the village - he refused to kill the defenseless. The village warriors weren't unskilled, but they were no match for Zechs and his men.  
  
An enraged shriek echoed through the valley and Zechs' eyes shot upwards, encountering a sight he hadn't expected to see again. The dragon looked majestic in her rage, battle cry trumpeting again into the dawn. He didn't know how he knew it was a female, he just did, and he found himself briefly recalling his experience eight years ago when, at sixteen, he'd witnessed two dragons like this one during their mating flight. It was an image he had carried with him to this day, and it was on of the reasons he hated the Slayers and anyone who spoke against dragons. Watching her in the red dawn light, he wished that he too could be flying up above and raining firey retribution down on those who dared harm his friends.  
  
A second challenging shriek reverberated through the valley, and Zechs spotted a second dragon. he thought, vaguely recalling that dragons mated for life. The two dragons were killing his men, flaming breath roasting them in their armor, killing their horses. He found, however, that he could do nothing himself but watch in a sick fascination, sword hanging limply in his hand.  
  
There was another enraged cry and Zechs watched as the male dragon flew back up the valley a ways. Having the two separate bothered the blond man for some reason he couldn't understand. He struggled to snap himself out of his seeming trance - he had a responsibility to his men who were dying while he did nothing but watch the dragons in the sky.   
  
A glint of metal in one of the trees caught his eye, and he watched in horror as a Slayer raised his crossbow. "No," he whispered, unable to voice his protest any other way. He imagined he could hear the thunk of the heavy bowstring moments before he saw the heavy bolt fly through the air. Zechs flinched as the arrow imbedded itself in her chest. The roar this time was one of pain. Then her flames set the tree on fire.   
  
There was another glint, and another arrow, and Zechs flinched as a second and third arrow found their target. The blond man dropped to his knees, watching helplessly as she floundered, trying to stay aloft enough to fight.   
  
A desperate cry filled the air, bringing tears to Zechs' eyes as he saw the male dragon trying to get back to his mate. Both saw her falter and crash into the forest below.  
  
A shriek filled with such despair that it struck the blond warrior to the core. He saw the remaining dragon rear back and crash through the forest canopy moments before he himself succumbed to the blackness of unconsciousness.  
  
+++  
  
Shehrevar nodded in satisfaction as the last dragon egg was loaded into the covered wagon. Once they were secured he turned to the hatchlings and human-looking children who remained in the hatchery. They ranged in age from newly hatched to a year or two old. The only ones he was interested in on this trip however were the ones who could take human form. If he could have taken the younger ones with him, he would have - they made excellent servants when they were trained to see him as their parent and elder. This trip, however was a long one, and he didn't have time to waste trying to feed and conceal young dragons.   
  
"Alex," he called out.   
  
The blond leader of the Slayers turned and walked towards him. "Yes, my Lord?" he asked with a bow.  
  
"The children in the village, are there any who will be of use to us?"  
  
"No, my lord," he replied. "They are too old to be influenced easily and would likely rebel at the first opportunity."  
  
"Mores the pity," responded the mage. "We'll take only these three then. Have your men eliminate the rest."  
  
Blue eyes lit with a dark fire as he grinned at the request.   
  
"Quickly," the mage reprimanded with a frown. "There isn't time for you and your men to play with them. We must make it into the mountains before the Chiinarans decide to investigate."  
  
Pulling a palm-sized iridescent Crystal from the pouch at his waist, the mage concentrated his energy into it. "Sleep, sleep, sleep," he repeated, casting the sleeping spell on the three human-looking dragons who huddled before him. One by one their eyes closed and they slumped to the floor. He placed the dull Crystal back into the pouch. He would recharge it when they returned to Roma.   
  
He gestured to two of the Slayers who picked up the children. "Eliminate the rest," he commented, before walking out of the hatchery. They passed the corpse of the older dragon which was being looted for it's salable parts. He never was one to believe in waste, and it was a cheap way to pay the Slayers.  
  
The second in command of the Slayers approached Shehrevar and bowed before him. "We haven't been able to find the third dragon, my Lord," he said politely.  
  
Thinking about it for a moment, the mage shook his head. "Ignore it. The two dragons were mated. It will not have survived. I have what I came for. We're leaving."  
  
Nodding, the man moved to the side to allow the mage and the following Slayers past where they carefully placed the children in the back of the wagon with the eggs. The mage climbed into his private carriage and the two vehicles began the trip back down the valley towards the remains of the village. As they neared, the stench of burning flesh became overwhelming, making the mage smile in amusement.   
  
Alex approached his carriage respectfully. "My Lord," he said with a bow. "What of Leiutenant Merquise?"   
  
"What of him?"  
  
"He collapsed during the battle after most of his men were killed by the dragon. What should be done with him?"  
  
"Leave him to his men," was the decision. "I can't afford to kill him yet - he may still be useful. Just make sure he stays away from the wagon with the eggs and dragon children."  
  
Alex bowed, and Sheherevar knew that the blond Slayer couldn't wait for the day when he would be permitted to kill the other man. It amused the mage a great deal to watch the animosity between them.   
  
Looking back at the still-smoldering remains of the village, he smiled. He hated the dragons for their abilities which far outstripped his own. Why should they be the only ones to be able to create Crystals, to be born with several types of innate magic? He would make them, and anyone who had ever taunted him with their magic pay. He would make sure that they paid dearly for being gifted with more magic than he was.  
  
+++  
  
Lieutenant Noin watched her friend's face in concern as they jolted along in the back of the supply wagon. Three quarters of their unit had been lost to the dragon, though most of the horses had been retrieved. She didn't understand what exactly had gone wrong with their intel, but she'd realized early on in the fight that they hadn't been up against Raiders. The Raiders she'd encountered before didn't live in villages with women and children. She had been sickened as she fought, knowing that she couldn't risk disobeying - Shehrevar had a nasty reputation for 'disciplining' troops who disobeyed. There had been a limited challenge - the villagers had been caught by surprise though and weren't completely prepared for an invading force.  
  
Things had been going well, if slaughtering innocents could be considered well, when the dragon had shown up. Noin had never seen a dragon up close, and it had scared her almost as much as it had the horses. She'd been thrown early on and had been forced to fight on foot like the rest of the unit.   
  
That's when the real slaughter began. By this time, most of the villagers were dead, and the dragon began killing her friends. She'd looked for Zechs, to see if he'd call a retreat, and had seen him briefly at the edge of the village, staring blankly at the dragon, the tip of his sword resting in the dirt. After that first glimpse, she'd been too busy trying to stay alive to be concerned with him.   
  
It wasn't until the end of the battle, after the Slayers had killed the dragons, that she'd had the chance to find him. He'd been lying face first on the ground, unconscious, and apparently unwounded. She and the remaining able-bodied members of the unit had carried the commander and the other wounded to the wagon where they could be treated for their injuries. Meiser, who'd been placed in charge of the healing Crystals, had been as surprised and worried as she'd been when he found that Zechs was indeed physically uninjured.  
  
Now they were traveling westward, back over the mountains to where they belonged. The blond man whimpered slightly, mumbling something undecipherable, left hand stretching out towards the forest. Surprised, Noin waved one of the scouts in the direction Zechs had been reaching. It was unlikely that there was anything to see out there, but it had been the first sign of life he'd shown since she'd found him after the battle and she wasn't going to take any chances.  
  
A short while later, the scout returned. "There's nothing out there, but an unconscious villager," he told her softly. "He looks to have taken a blow to the head, but he should live if he's treated. I didn't want to kill him, and there is a ~slight~ chance that someone survived this mess to save him."  
  
Noin sighed and nodded. Though the man would likely die anyway, she didn't want to have anything to do with killing him. There had been enough senseless death already today. She just hoped that Zechs would wake up soon.  
  
+++  
  
The young man approached the village cautiously, staff held at ready, circling around to see if there was anyone left alive. He'd seen slaughters like this on the rare occasion, but never east of the mountains. He felt his rage grow as he recognized the pattern of the buildings as being that of a Dragon Clan village. It reminded him of the village that had taken him in as a child.  
  
Seeing no living beings near the smoldering buildings, he approached cautiously. Most of the structures had been burned, though one or two were still partially intact. There were bodies everywhere, most of which were transformed dragons, judging by the Chiinaran looking features. Knowing that the dragons who populated these villages tended to hide their children when trouble showed, he hoped that he could find some survivors.  
  
What he found made him heave his guts up.  
  
The gathering hall where the villagers would meet and tell stories or socialize had been burned like the rest, but inside it were the corpses of dozens of children. Scrubbing at his tearless face, the young man backed out of the structure, clutching his long chestnut braid like a lifeline. He could tell by the way that the bodies were huddled, that they'd been alive when the building had been burned. Just like in the village he'd grown up in.  
  
Knowing that there was one place where there might possibly be survivors, the young man looked around for an indication of where the hatchery might be located. He knew from long experience that dragons hid their hatcheries in the mountains, and one usually had to be familiar with the signs to find them. For such large creatures, dragons left surprisingly little evidence of their presence.   
  
Creeping through the forest toward the western wall of the valley, the young stumbled across another sight that made him tremble in revulsion, fueling his rage. The remains of a dragon in its natural form lay stretched out among the broken branches, arrow stumps jutting from the remains of the torso. It had been stripped of the largest and most useful scales, claws and teeth; the rest had been left to rot.  
  
Snarling in rage, the young man ran nimbly through the forest towards the spot where he thought the hatchery might be. He emerged onto what should have been a barely noticeable trail through and gasped in dismay when he saw the wagon tracks breaking a path along it. Following the now-exposed trail he pelted away from the village, afraid of what he would find.  
  
As he reached the end of the trail, he cried out in dismay at the stripped body of another dragon in front of what had to be the hatchery entrance. Clutching his braid he circled the corpse and entered the cave. He cautiously crept down the tunnel, and when he got to the end of it he once again dropped to his knees, wracked with dry heaves.   
  
The mangled corpses of infant dragons were scattered around the nesting chambers, broken and bloody. The eggs were gone. He felt tears prick his eyes, and fought them off, funneling his sorrow towards rage instead. He would find the bastards who did this and make them pay.  
  
Forcing himself to examine the chambers of the hatchery, he looked for any hidden rooms. He knew that there was always one at least to store the Memory Crystals, if they hadn't been taken or destroyed as well. Finding a small, human-sized opening, he walked through into a huge room with no exit. Thinking about the dragons he'd known in the past, he realized that they would have transformed once in here and hidden the Crystals at a higher location.   
  
Pulling a small iridescent Crystal out of his belt pouch, the young man commanded it to light, and a pale green glow filled the chamber. Setting the glowing Crystal on the floor, along with his staff, he peered along the ceiling of the cave until he found a place that was more shadowed than the others. He scrambled deftly up the rock face, slipping narrow fingers and toes into the nooks and crannies of the rough surface. Reaching the ceiling, he wormed his way onto the shelf. He'd been right - there was a cache of Memory Crystals here.   
  
As carefully as he could, the young man gathered the slightly convex rectangles of pale blue Crystal and loaded them into his haversack. He knew that these were the most valuable item in a dragon's possession, each Crystal being a record of the Clan's history. There were a great many of Crystals here.   
  
Scrambling down to the chamber proper again, he picked up the light Crystal and turned it off. Grabbing his staff, he exited the chamber and made his way back towards the entrance, trying not to look at the small bodies. Once outside he pulled out one of the newest Memory Crystal and invoked his decidedly limited mage skill to read the clan name on the Crystal.   
  
"On this, the eighth day of the seventh month, in the year of the Chiinaran Tiger, I Duo Maxwell of the Maxwellan Clan do hereby record my memories of the last days of the Ellfyve Clan." Pressing the Crystal to his forehead, he felt his memories of what he'd found here imprint themselves onto the now-glowing shard. "I will seek justice, and will honor the dead in the ways of the Clan as far as I am able. I will pick up this record when justice is served, then deliver the Crystals into the hands of the Na'ta'kuu Clan. Thus my memory becomes the Clan's memory to last for all time."  
  
Finishing the ritual intonation, Duo felt drained as he always did after using dragon magic. Knowing he had one more thing to do kept him from seeking rest yet. He replaced the Memory Crystal in the haversack with the others, then removed a large Crystal from his belt pouch. This one was as large as a Memory Crystal, but it had a red sheen to it rather than the blue of the Memory Crystal, or the iridescence of a regular Spell Crystal.  
  
Holding the red Crystal in both hands, he once again invoked his mage skill. "Purifying fire," he intoned, directing his energy towards the object in his hands. He felt it warm drastically, and sweat broke out on his brow. Then there was a series of small 'booms' and the bodies of the dragons began to catch fire, burning in an intense red flame, quite different from the yellow-orange of natural fire. He concentrated on the flames, keeping them intensely hot until he felt them burn out one at a time as the bodies were consumed. He dropped to his knees, exhausted as he felt the remains of the two naturally formed dragons disintegrate under the power of the Crystal.   
  
Duo slumped to the ground, spent Crystal cooling between his hands. He was breathing harshly, feeling completely drained of energy. He knew that he couldn't stay where he was however. If there were any dragon Clans near by then they would likely send a scout to investigate, and he suspected that the Chiinarans would also send warriors to find out the cause of the black smoke, if only to assure themselves that there no Raiders threatening their territory.   
  
Using his staff to lever himself up, he used it to support his weight as he made his way slowly down towards the Path of Morning. He didn't want to see the village again, and planned on bypassing it entirely, sticking instead to the north side of the main road. He would have to find shelter for the night soon, for he was far too tired to extend his trip as he'd originally planned.   
  
Angling westward, Duo staggered through the forest, very glad for the lack of underbrush on the shaded forest floor. The yellowed needles, cushioned his steps, as he silently walked under the towering evergreen trunks.   
  
His mind was so fogged with exhaustion that at first he didn't register the lighter patch in the forest canopy until he was almost into the exposed area. Frowning, he scanned the clearing. It was very much like the area where he'd found the body of the first dragon - branches torn and broken as if something large had fallen from above.  
  
There was no dragon however.  
  
Frowning in puzzlement, Duo approached the area cautiously. There were some hoof-prints to the south where a horse had obviously spun around and kicked up the needles, but there was little evidence of anyone else having been here. Walking lightly, physical state ignored for the moment, the young man made his way towards the centre of the clearing.  
  
At first he was unable to see anything, then he noticed an arm poking out from under a broken tree branch. Flipping the branch away with the end of his staff, Duo gasped at what he saw. It was a young man with shoulder-length black hair and caramel coloured skin. He wore a simple green robe and he looked like an average, though handsome, Chiinaran. Except for one thing.  
  
He lay ~on~ most of the branches.  
  
The only way he could have lain on ~top~ of the branches was if he were to have fallen on them from above, and only dragons could do that.   
  
Scrambling towards the man, Duo felt for a pulse. It was faint, but there. Searching for injuries, he was puzzled to find his skin unblemished except for some scratches left by the branches. Duo was both impressed and confused. He was impressed because this dragon was obviously a powerful one because he'd been able to shift to his human form despite plunging through the trees. He was confused because of the lack of visible injuries. He knew that dragons were very hardy people whether in their natural or human form, and the only time he'd heard of one falling without obvious physical injuries was when his or her mate was killed - unfortunately, that usually meant that ~both~ were dead.  
  
Sighing, he shook his head. There was no way he was going to leave the man here to die, but he was in no condition himself to take him very far. Scanning the area he spotted a deadfall fairly nearby that would due as shelter for a while - it was too obvious for a prolonged stay, but for the moment it would be enough. Going there himself, he noticed that there was quite a deep hollow under the trunk of the fallen tree. He deposited his gear there before going back to the unconscious man. Grabbing him under the arms, Duo dragged him to the natural shelter.   
  
Deciding to waste a bit more energy, he pulled out two iridescent Spell Crystals. Using the last of his energy he used the one Crystal to cast a healing spell on the dragon beside him, and he used the other to cast a subtle illusion that would subtly convince anyone who saw them to ignore the site. A wizard would see through the spell, but it was unlikely that any of the few wizards that existed would bother to show up in the middle of a forest in the Dragonback Mountains. Feeling relatively safe, and really too tired to care anymore, Duo curled up near the other man and fell into an exhausted sleep.  
  
  
TBC 


	2. 

TITLE: The Blood of Dragons 2 / ?  
AUTHOR: Hana-chan gohana_chan@gundamwing.net  
CATEGORY: AU, fantasy, angst, yaoi, occasional lemon  
PAIRINGS: 5xM, 1x2, 3x4, 6+5  
RATINGS: Varies. PG-13 for this chapter.  
WARNINGS: Some violence.  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters from that show. This is for fun, not profit so don't sue me. Any characters that are not from Gundam Wing belong to me.  
FEEDBACK: PLEASE! Any and all comments are welcome - I won't get tired of reading them, honest. It helps me to finish my fics if you tell me what you think.  
  
~emphasis~ :: telepathy ::+++ scene change  
  
The Blood of Dragons  
Chapter 2  
  
  
Something was wrong. His nose took in the scent of pine-sap and needles, as well as that of damp soil. These however, were familiar. Opening his eyes, he blinked at the rotting tree trunk that lay horizontally above him. That was unexpected, but there was nothing inherently wrong about it. Turning his head to the right he saw the sleeping form of a human male with a long chestnut braid clutched tightly in his fists.  
  
That was very unexpected, but it wasn't the source of the wrongness he felt. :: Mei? :: he called out mentally.   
  
He frowned when he didn't get a response, blinking to clear the muzziness from his mind. :: Meiran? Where are you, love? ::  
  
The silence in his mind was almost deafening. There had always been voices for as long as he could remember.  
  
Now there were none.  
  
:: MEIRAN, :: he called out frantically as the fog lifted from his mind and he became aware of the echoing emptiness in his soul. It burned him like acid, eating away at everything that he was.   
  
"MEIIIIIIRAAAAAAAAAAAAN." The anguished shout echoed through the forest causing the sleeping man to wake with a start. The human-shaped dragon barely registered the other presence however as he curled into a ball, high-pitched keen of sheer agony escaping his lips. The overwhelming sense of loneliness, of incompleteness filled him and his soul ached to rejoin his mate. He began focusing his will inward to achieve just that.  
  
Then the images came. Vivid, horrifying visions of children burned to death as they'd huddled together. His clan members lying broken, bleeding everywhere in the village. The elder and hatchlings lifeless husks, stripped of scales and talons. The stripped and violated corpse of his mate.  
  
Screaming in rage, pain, and frustrated confusion, the dragon found his death trance stopped. Conflicting impulses tore through his mind and soul as his duty to his clan battled with the soulbond to his mate. He wanted to die, yet his clan needed to be avenged. He couldn't live with only half his soul, but the members of his clan might be forever trapped on the Spirit Plane if he didn't avenge them.  
  
A stinging slap to his face jarred him back to reality and he glared despairingly at the human who sat before him. He wanted to ignore the human, or kill him, but something in the man's hand caught his eye.  
  
A Memory Crystal.  
  
"What?" he asked, mind still sluggish.   
  
"Your clan's Crystal," the human said holding it out to him. "I recorded my memories of what I found at the village and hatchery. I'd planned on taking them to the closest clan, but I'll abide by your decision."  
  
The dragon stared dumbly at the Crystal, not truly comprehending what the man with the braid was saying. He wasn't even sure why he was still alive - nothing should have disrupted his death trance. Blinking owlishly thought for a moment then realized what had just been said.  
  
"~You~ recorded the memories of my clan?" he said incredulously. "How could a ~human~ know what the Crystals are for, let alone have the ability to use one?"  
  
The man winced and took a deep breath. "I was raised in a Dragon village," he said. "I am, was, a member of the Maxwellan Clan." He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm also a mage gifted with the ability to use Dragon Crystals."  
  
The dragon blinked, astonished by the revelation. He admittedly knew little of humans other than what it took to disguise himself as one, but to his knowledge none had ~ever~ been able to use Dragon Crystals before. That this human not only possessed the ability, but that he'd also been adopted by a clan was almost beyond comprehension. It was as unthinkable as surviving the death of one's mate.   
  
"Is that how you interrupted my death trance?" he asked caught between despondency, curiosity, and rage.  
  
"I what?" the man exclaimed. "That's impossible! Nothing stops a death trance." A fleeting glimpse of pain then rage was seen in his eyes before his expression went neutral.  
  
Not answering, the dragon simply stared at the mage. He himself didn't understand what had happened.  
  
"You're mate. . . I'm sorry." The man with the chestnut braid truly did look upset. "I know it's no consolation, but I used Dragon Fire on the. . . remains. I did the same for my own clan, and for a couple of others as well."  
  
The dragon closed his eyes in pain. That his clan's customs had been followed was indeed a small consolation. The loss of everyone - his mate, his friends and family, the children was more than he wanted to bear. The children.  
  
His son.  
  
"Yuming," he said breathlessly. "The hatchery - was. . . was my son there? He'd been in human form when the village was attacked. He. . . he looks like a small version of me except that his hair and eyes keep shifting colour."  
  
The man looked devastated and shook his head. "There weren't any human shaped bodies in the hatchery - just an elder dragon and. . . and dragonets," his voice broke as he said the last. Pain and rage once again flashed across his features. "There weren't even any eggs."  
  
Head snapping up, the dragon stared in shock. "But where are they? There were three eggs, and three of the younglings had achieved the change. Where are they?"  
  
The pained expression on the human's face was replaced by cold rage and an almost draconic growl could be heard. "Shehrevar," he snarled leaping to his feet to pace. "That bastard! It has to be him - I should have realized that twisted freak was behind this." The man stopped abruptly. "Can you travel to the Spirit Plane?" he asked.  
  
Confused by everything that had happened to him so far, the dragon nodded, not entirely certain where this was going. "I. . . yes I can," he said uncertainty tainting his voice. "If I go, I likely won't return," he continued quietly.   
  
Braid clutched in his hands, the man nodded. "I figured as much. You might be able to confirm this though. If you don't return, I'll honour your remains and avenge your clan. If I can find your son alive I'll also make sure he's well cared for."  
  
The dragon nodded. He was beginning to see where the human was going with this line of thought. The spirits of the dead were often privy to information unavailable to mortals. The Spirit Wolves were also sources of knowledge to those who knew where to find them.  
  
"Is there someone you wish me to speak with?" he asked feeling more at ease knowing he would be with his mate shortly.  
  
A vulnerable look crossed the man's face. "Helen," he said softly. "Helen of the Maxwellan clan. Tell her that her Duo is still trying to make her proud."  
  
"I will. . . Duo," the dragon replied in an equally quiet voice. "I. . . I am Wufei. Thank you for what you've done."  
  
Duo nodded. "No need for thanks. Go, go talk to your mate - see what else can be done. I'll guard your body in case you decide to return"  
  
Wufei nodded and lay back trying to get comfortable.He hadn't gone to the Spirit Plane very often in the past simply because he had had very little reason to. Now he wanted to find out if his son lived, as well as finding out if this Shehrevar was responsible for the slaughter of everyone he held dear. He knew that he wouldn't return to living world except to inform Duo of his discoveries - the soul deep emptiness and the pull towards death were simply too powerful.  
  
Closing his eyes, he found his center and focused on pooling his magic. He felt the power build and he redirected it. There was a sudden sensation of falling away from his body and when he opened his eyes the forest and Duo were gone. He stood instead on a featureless plain of grey with a swirling monochrome sky - or what passed for a sky for there was really no form to the Spirit Plane - it changed and conformed to the minds of those inside it.   
  
Examining himself, Wufei was unsurprised to find himself in his dragon form, though instead of his usual vivid jade scales and rusty hair, his colouring was muted with grey so that almost matched the surroundings. That too was hardly surprising, as he knew that his soul had been rent in two.  
  
Knowing that time and distance had little meaning here, he reached out with his mind and soul, trying to connect with his mate. It was difficult, for some unknown force was hindering him, but he managed to connect with her - after all, she was the other half of his soul so they ~couldn't~ really be separated. Once he'd located her spirit, Wufei let their soulbond pull him to her side.  
  
What he found shocked him to the core.  
  
Where the landscape had been featureless before there was a huge energy sink that swirled chaotically with every imaginable colour. The energy itself didn't surprise him - energy pools weren't unusual here in and of themselves. What shocked him was what the energy was made up of.  
  
Souls.  
  
Hundreds of souls from those of human mages to those of Dragons and Spirit Wolves were trapped inside the swirl of energy - were the source of the energy. Including the soul of his mate and clan.   
  
Gasping in wide-eyed horror he backed away, fighting the pull as it tried to draw him in. He had no idea who or what could have the ability to trap souls in such a manner, nor why anyone would want to. When he was far enough back so that the pull wasn't as strong he sat down, tail tip flicking back and forth as he tried to figure out what to do.   
  
:: Meiran? :: he called out mentally. :: Are you there, love? ::   
  
:: Wufei? :: was the faint response. :: Have they taken you as well? ::  
  
:: No, love, :: he assured her quickly. :: I still live, though I don't understand why. I'm on a Spirit Walk. ::  
  
:: Thank the gods, :: she exclaimed. :: You must go back before he returns - you must stop his madness before he destroys us all. ::  
  
:: Go back? How can I live without my soul? ::  
  
:: I don't have an answer, but I know you have the strength. There's a reason you survived, I'm sure of it, :: Meiran said firmly. :: I know how you hate fighting, but you must stop Shehrevar. He is responsible for this, and he has some sort of plan to bring the energy from this plane to our own. . . ::  
  
:: How is that possible? No Crystal is powerful enough to hold even the strength from one soul - how can he hope to manipulate this level of energy? :: questioned Wufei with growing dispair. :: And what of the Dark Spirits? ::  
  
:: I don't know, love, but that is why he's trapping as many magic-touched souls here as he can. As for the Dark Spirits, I think he has made a pact with them. ::  
  
Shaking his head in denial, he tried to think of another explanation - a reason that allowed him to stay behind with his mate as his soul longed for him to do.  
  
:: He has our son, Wufei, :: Meiran said flatly. :: Shehrevar has our son. ::  
  
Pain and frustration tore at Wufei's heart. He wanted to stay with his mate, yet he couldn't bear the thought of his son in the hands of the monster who could slaughter innocents and trap their souls for his own gains. There was also honour to consider.  
  
:: You won't be alone love, :: she said quietly. :: I don't know why I know this, but you won't be alone. :: There was a pause then Meiran spoke again. :: He's coming back - you must go. Trust Duo - he'll help you. Tell him that Helen ~is~ proud of him and misses him greatly. I love you. ::  
  
:: I . . . Meiran, I love you too. ::  
  
Sensing the fear from his mate, Wufei sent himself back to the spot he'd started at. He wasn't sure how he was going to survive without Meiran, but simply touching her mind again had dulled some of the pain. He didn't think he'd ever feel whole again, but he might be able to force himself to live long enough to stop the threat of this Shehrevar and save both his son and mate.  
  
Resigning himself to living without his soulmate, the dragon began preparing to send himself back to his body. A defiant shout however, startled him from his task. Focusing for a moment, he sent himself to the location, taking care to arrive in the air where he was less likely to be spotted.  
  
What he found was surprising.  
  
Below him was a human, hunched over on the ground and surrounded by Dark Spirits. Few humans were capable of journeying to the Spirit Plain, and those that did chose a form other than their own because the human form was simply too vulnerable for the forces that filled this realm. That meant that this human must be ignorant, foolhardy, or here by accident. This one wasn't in very good condition.  
  
Wufei didn't want to interfere, but he also didn't want this human to die, if only because its soul would most likely be drawn into the energy sink with his mate and clan adding to the power held by this Shehrevar.   
  
Folding his wings back, Wufei dove at the Dark Spirits and hitting several with his outstretched claws. They shrieked, forms wavering and vanishing as he took to the sky again. He couldn't actually kill them - they existed only on this Plane after all and therefore had nowhere else to go, but he could weaken them enough that they lost their physical form. He swooped down on them again, keeping the attention of most of the creatures on him, but some were still after the human. Wufei wondered why it didn't run away like any sensible being would. As more Dark Spirits appeared however, Wufei began to wonder if he wouldn't lose the human after all, for he doubted that he'd be able to keep attacking as he was for much longer.  
  
He thought about leaving the human, he didn't want to, but he was getting tired and he'd promised his mate that he'd try and stop Shehrevar - a task he couldn't do if he was dead. He was saved from making a choice however, as the faint sound of howling filled the air.  
  
Circling above the human, Wufei peered into the distance, or what passed for distance, trying to spot the source of the eerie sound. It didn't take him long to find the Spirit Wolves. They converged on the Spirits surrounding the crouched human and began tearing into their ranks. Like the Dark Sprits, the Spirit Wolves were native to this plane, but they hadn't been twisted by the evils that also dwelled here. Wufei renewed his attack, and it wasn't long before the Dark Spirits decided that retreat was better than fighting both a dragon and a Pack, and vanished.   
  
Nodding in satisfaction, the dragon scanned the area for any more enemies and was preparing to leave when the low sound of growling caught his attention. Looking down in surprise he found that the pack had surrounded the injured human who hadn't changed position. Not sure what was going on, Wufei hesitated for a moment before dropping lightly to the ground with the human hidden carefully between his forelegs, wings mantled protectively.   
  
:: I'm not certain what is happening here, :: he projected to all present. :: But I didn't go through the trouble to save this human soul from the energy sink just to have you destroy it yourselves. ::  
  
:: This is not your concern, Dragon, :: the pack leader said quietly.   
  
:: Anything connected to the slaughter of my clan ~is~ my concern, and if the death of this human will strengthen my enemy, then I will prevent it. ::  
  
:: Your clan? :: asked the pack leader.  
  
Wufei bowed his head, eyes closed tightly. :: This morning. Aside from the possibility of a handful of eggs, none of which will survive being outside the hatchery this early, there are none but my son and I who survived - and my son is in the hands of this Shehrevar. ::   
  
There was a deep-throated growl to his left, and Wufei swivelled his head to look. The source was the mate of the pack leader, her hackles raised as she snarled again. :: Shehrevar. That one has been taking our people, our cubs. ::   
  
The growl echoed by the pack was loud enough that the dragon barely heard the frightened whimper below him. Lowering his head he looked at the terrified human, a part of him slightly amused that his eye was almost as large as the curled up form of the blond. Wide blue-green eyes stared at him, flinching back slightly. The human didn't move however and a slightly defiant look crept into its expression as it turtled again exposing the bloodless rents in it back.   
  
Blinking in curiosity, Wufei tilted his head a bit for a better look. :: Interesting, :: he said, almost to himself. :: The human is clearly terrified and in pain, yet it does nothing to protect itself. ::   
  
:: This human has the scent of our cub, :: growled the pack leader.  
  
The human jerked its head up, moving as if to see around the dragon's large head. Still curious, he lifted his head, still keeping an eye on the smaller being. The growling Spirit Wolves would now be visible. A soft gasp could be heard and the human pushed itself up from its crouch so that it was sitting back on its heels, hands still on the ground. A happy yip came from under the human and a puppy ran out from the hollow that had been created when the man had crouched down.  
  
:: Mother, Father, :: called the cub, licking his parent's jaws and jumping up at them. :: Quatre saved me, :: he exclaimed. :: The Dark spirits tried to put me in the bad place and Quatre ran away with me and hid me. ::  
  
Wufei blinked in surprise taking a better look at the human as the Spirit Wolves took turns examining the returned cub who appeared to be unharmed. The same could not be said for the human who was now slumped weakly against the ground.   
  
:: Are you all right? :: asked the dragon.  
  
:: Yes, ~are~ you going to be all right? :: asked the pack leader who had approached and was sniffing the injured human.  
  
"I. . . I don't know. Where am I?"  
  
Shaking his head in amazement, Wufei allowed the Spirit Wolf to answer.  
  
:: You are in the Spirit Plane, young human, :: answered the leader as he sat before the weak human. :: Do you remember how you got here? ::  
  
"Our group was attacked and I tried to defend us, but I've never been able to train my abilities so I was caught in a spell I think. ::  
  
:: Ahh, that explains your form then, :: replied the Wolf.  
  
"My form?"  
  
:: Yes. The few humans who are able to come here don't tend to use their own form because it is too weak to last here. ::  
  
:: You saved our son, :: interrupted the leader's mate. :: Why did you do that? ::  
  
A look of shocked disbelief crossed the human's face. "What do you mean why? He was in trouble. I couldn't ~not~ help him - it would be wrong to ignore someone in need. How can you even ask me that?"  
  
The Wolves heard the answer, and Wufei felt them talk silently amongst themselves. Seeming to reach an agreement, the female Wolf touched her mate's throat which began to glow intensely. After a moment the dragon gasped as a round amulet appeared, dropping to the ground.  
  
:: A Spirit Wolf Amulet, :: he said in soft awe. He'd heard about these in his studies, but he had never expected to actually ~see~ one.   
  
:: Take this, young Quatre, :: the female said, pushing it towards him.   
  
"What is it?" asked the blond youth.  
  
:: As the winged one said, it is a Spirit Wolf Amulet," explained the pack leader. :: It will mark you as one of us. ::  
  
"One of you? How? I mean, I'm not a Spirit Wolf."  
  
:: It will allow you to travel freely in the Spirit Plane using our form so that you will be more protected. ::   
  
"I can travel here? I could learn more of my magic and talk to the dead... to my mother?"  
  
:: Yes, it will give you abilities that you do not presently have. I do not know the full extent as it varies with the bearer. I do know that you must beware using it in the physical plane however - I do not know if a human mind can withstand full pack-bond when there. ::  
  
Quatre looked at the amulet where it shone on the ground, hand hovering over it as he obviously debated with himself. "Is there anything else I should know about it?" he asked quietly.  
  
:: The only thing I can think of is that once it is placed around your neck it cannot be removed - you will be a pack member for life. I will also say that there are few of these left in existence, and it is even more rare that we give them away, especially to humans. However, you have a pure heart and I believe you will use it with thought and respect. If you are ever on this plane again, remember that you are a member of Tyrall's pack. ::  
  
"You do me a great honour," the blond said in awe, lifting the amulet on its silver chain. After a moment's hesitation, he slipped the chain around his neck.   
  
Wufei peered over the mage's shoulder at the amulet and saw that the image on the face shifted as if alive. It first appeared to show Tyrall and his pack, then it began to glow in a faint gray-white light. The image suddenly shifted to a smooth surface and finally to that of an adolescent wolf. As the image of the single wolf settled onto the face, the human's form shimmered momentarily then shifted so that where he had knelt there now stood a wolf.  
  
:: I. . . wow. :: the former human said looking down on his new paws.   
  
The dragon snorted in amusement at the obvious sense of awe. He knew that it must be a surprising sensation for to suddenly have such a different form, but it was amusing watching Quatre stand and try to walk - he seemed to have difficulty coordinating his feet and tail.   
  
The cub giggled and bounded over togive his new pack brother lessons while Wufei shook his head and grinned at the pack leader. :: I am sure that you are aware of this already, but my mate warned me to beware the mage Shehrevar - he means to do evil, and will likely be trying to incorporate your pack members into his energy stores. ::  
  
::Thank you, winged one, for the information - we had not known the name of the mage that has been threatening our people. I hope that you are able to find your son as well as personal peace for being left alone - that is one fate I do not envy you for. ::  
  
Wufei closed his eyes feeling an aching emptiness in his soul as he thought of his mate. Taking a deep breath he opened his eyes and regarded the pack leader. :: I must leave now. You will send the human back once he's accustomed to his new form? I have no love of humans now, but this one seems honourable. ::  
  
:: Have no fear, Dragon. He is a member of my pack now - he will be protected, :: was the reply. :: If you are ever on this Plane again and are in need of help, ask for Tyrall, or Tyrall's Pack and we will help as we can. ::  
  
:: Thank you, pack leader Tyrall, :: replied Wufei, dipping his head respectfully. :: Likewise, if you or your pack is in need of help that I can provide any assistance I can. I am called Wufei. ::  
  
With that, Wufei nodded again and settled into a comfortable position, wings folded behind him, tail coiled around his feet. Relaxing, he pictured his living body and prepared to send his spirit back to it. Though he longed to join his mate, to feel whole again and be rid of the searing emptiness, he now had a mission to complete. When this Shehrevar was defeated, his son safe, then, and only then would he be able to join with her again; join her in death.   
  
TBC 


End file.
